Breastfeeding Doll

[jcat107]

Have you seen this new doll that is being sold in Spain? I think it is unbelievably inappropriate for young girls to be pretending to breastfeed a baby. Don't get me wrong, I am in no way putting breastfeeding down. It is a very beautiful and natural way to nourish your baby but it is not appropriate for a child to pretend to do this. Girls can wait until they are grown and mature enough to have a baby of their own to learn about this way feeding a baby. I can not believe that a parent would willingly allow their little girl walk around with a baby up to her chest pretending to feed it. What happened to letting children be children? Why can't a little girl just play with her doll?

[Justus*]

Yea it's kind of crazy. My coworker pulled the clip up online yesterday.

[lismom2]

Well...fwiw, my little girl pretends to bf her dolls anyway...so I don't think a breastfeeding doll is inappropriate, just filling a merchandise niche.

[freckles]

My daughter pretends also. My 2 year old helps his brother's head to my breast. I think my 2yr old son has even pretended. Nothing innapropriate about it. Like you said "its beautiful and natural...."

It is never to early or shameful to educate your children about what breasts are intended for.

[Bec caV]

It's no more wrong than them having a doll period. Girls learn their parenting skills very early from playing with dolls. In most countries there's no social stigma on breastfreeding as there is in the US.
Girls will only mimic what they know as acceptable behavior. If they have been taught babies are only fed by a bottle, they'll mimic that, if they are taught babies are fed the way nature meant for them to be fed, by the breast, they'll mimic that.

If our children are exposed to breast feeding early on and taught there's nothing wrong with it, they'll be more likely to breast feed their own children.

[*Babylon*]

Inappropriate? I think make up sets for 3 years old girls is WAY more inappropriate than this doll. I heard some complaining about "sexualizing" (is there such word at all?) little girls, but the same people have no problem dressing their girls like grown ups. Furthermore, for once boobs are portrayed doing what they are meant to do, and not as decorations on a blonde bimbo like Barbie.

[NaomiK]

I think its ok. I dont think you need a particular doll to pretend to breastfeed though. Like Becca said - they are going to mimic what they see. My daughter mimics bottle feeding, spoon feeding, diaper changing, etc with her dolls. I am sure that if I had another child I was breastfeeding she would no doubt mimic that also.

Babylon - Very good points

[lismom2]

Inappropriate? I think make up sets for 3 years old girls is WAY more inappropriate than this doll. I heard some complaining about "sexualizing" (is there such word at all?) little girls, but the same people have no problem dressing their girls like grown ups. Furthermore, for once boobs are portrayed doing what they are meant to do, and not as decorations on a blonde bimbo like Barbie.

Try reading So Sexy So Soon by Diane Levin & Jean Kilbourne (of 'killing me softly' fame)
http://www.amazon.com/So-Sexy-Soon-S...1726015&sr=8-1
and
the Mommy Myth by Susan Douglas and Meredith Michaels
http://www.amazon.com/Mommy-Myth-Ide...1726081&sr=1-1

These are both really great books on the sexualization of children and the effects of the media on both children AND moms.

[mamatiff]

I personally don't think it is wrong, however, there is no reason for a young girl to have a doll like this. I do agree that our society tends to push girls to grow up too quickly. I think it is inappropriate to have children imitating breastfeeding because of a doll they should learn it from their mothers. I breastfed my two sons and think it is very beneficial and healthy for both mom and child. However baby dolls should be baby dolls not sex symbols(i.e. Bratz and Barbie) or a way for your baby girl to learn how to use their breasts (even in the right way) from a doll(or tv). Things like this should be learned from parents.

[NaomiK]

That is the point mamatiff, they ARE learning this from parents. They are mimicking it on the doll. They can do it on any doll though. Unless this doll actually comes with instructions for the child to read to tell it how to breastfeed then I dont see how the doll is teaching them that. The parents are.